BY THE END of tonight’s TUF 20 finale at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, the inaugural women’s strawweight champion will be crowned.
Not only that, the show also kick-starts the UFC’s last double-header weekend of 2014.
Due to the identity of finalists Rose Namajunas and Carla Esparza only being revealed in the wee hours of Thursday morning, anticipation for their historical bout has been far from widespread, particularly in the aftermath of the epic UFC 181 last weekend. But that shouldn’t detract from what’s at stake.
All bar one of the competition’s contestants — the injured Justine Kish — are to compete against each other and will no doubt be focused on making a good impression on their new employers and the fans alike.
In case you thought the whole night would be about ending the latest instalment of the UFC’s own brand of reality TV, there are three additional bouts on the main card to look forward to.
Here are five major talking points going into tonight’s event:
1. Who will walk away as the UFC’s newest champion?
Aside from spending eight weeks cooped up in the same house as 14 girls hoping to snatch their dream away, Carla Esparza and Rose Namajunas each had to win three fights to get to this point.
Over the duration, the two stood out as potential winners and, regardless of tonight’s outcome, both have a big futures in the UFC. Esparza, having vacated her Invicta FC title to partake in the show, was considered the favourite from the outset. En route to the final, she submitted Angela Hill and earned decision wins over Tecia Torres and Jessica Penne in the quarter and semi-finals respectively.
Namajunas finished all her opponents – Alex Chambers, Joanne Calderwood and Randa Markos – via submission. Initially Namajunas was the only member of Team Melendez to make it beyond the first round, before Tecia Torres was given another chance.
Given her experience at this level, Esparza will rightly be considered the favourite, but Namajunas is a dangerous lady. Esparza is a hard-nosed wrestler with strong boxing, while Namajunas is a dynamic kick-boxer who, as evidenced, must be respected on the mat. It’s a tough one to call.
2. Aisling Daly becomes the first Irish women to compete in the UFC
Daly did not put her best foot forward by coming in 2lbs over at yesterday’s weigh-ins – an infraction which will cost her 20% of her fight purse. However, she is one of Irish MMA’s originals and has been around the block long enough to deserve to be where she is. Picking up the mantle from her SBG teammates, ‘Ais the Bash’ will be last Irish person to set foot inside the Octagon in 2014.
She acquitted herself admirably while on the show – beating Angela Magana before losing a close decision to Jessica Penne. She faces fellow Team Pettis member Alex Chambers, and will be desperate to successfully cap-off what has been an incredible 12 months for mixed martial arts in Ireland.
Daly’s fight will only be available to watch on UFC Fight Pass
3. Jeremy Stephens looks to climb further up the ladder at 145lbs
Since dropping down from 155lbs, Jeremy Stephens has won three of his four fights at featherweight. Currently ranked number 10, an impressive victory for Stephens over the consistently inconsistent Charles Oliveira might be enough to leapfrog Nick Lentz who lays just above him.
In the past, Oliveira has been known to look for a way when the shots start flying, which makes him an ideal opponent for the ferocious Stephens. The young Brazilian is not to be underestimated but the punching-power of Stephens should prove decisive.
4. KJ Noons goes for third consecutive win against Daron Cruickshank
Now in his second decade as a professional fighter, KJ Noons will know as well as anyone just how tough it is to stay afloat in this game.
The 32-year-old lightweight fought for a plethora of promotions before coming to the UFC early last year. The 155lbs division is a virtual crucible at this time, so putting together any kind of win-streak is commendable. A victory over the formidable Cruickshank is unlikely to see Noons dramatically shoot up the ladder but it just might earn him a higher-profile opponent next time round.
5. Will the strawweight division’s first number 1 contender be announced?
Every champion needs a number 1 contender and whoever emerges victorious from the main event is no different. When Esparza and Namajunas conclude their business, the remainder of the division will be eager to know who will be next in line.
Claudia Gadelha defeated Tina Lahdemaki in the UFC’s first-ever strawweight contest, so her name will certainly be in the mix. Then there’s Paige VanZant, who had originally been cast on the show, but was not of the requisite age. At 20, she’s the youngest female fighter on the promotion’s roster and beat Kailin Curran on her debut, earning Fight of the Night honours in the process.
Beaten semi-finalists Jessica Penne and Randa Markos have been paired on the main card, which puts them in a prime position to make their case to the brass.